Secrets
by AnaElise
Summary: Syd has a secret and Sky gets a bit uncomfortable when he finds out what it is


Disclaimer: I own nothing, everything belongs to someone else!

Z Delgado was casually walking down the SPD corridor with her headphones on, subtly dancing to her new salsa mix when she was startled out of her reverie by a large wall.

"Hey, watch it!"

The said wall was none other then the current red ranger and resident SPD handbook know-it-all, Sky Tate.

"Z, when I said you could borrow my special edition SPD handbook, I thought you were going to study it, not use it as a table to draw cartoons on before bed."

Even a month ago, this stunt would have had Sky livid, with the vain in his neck throbbing and his face turning all different shades of red, but after the defeat of Grumm, Sky had calmed down, and often played impromptu games of lightball with the team and once even went clubbing with them to celebrate Jack and Aly's engagement.

Z and Bridge often debated about the reasons for this said change but they both agreed that Syd probably had something to do with it.

"Did Syd tell you about that?"

At least Z had the decency to look slightly ashamed, although Sky was a little unsure whether it was because she was sorry about keeping the book so long or telling Syd why she was now able to stay up later drawing.

"Z, just give me the book back and find another hard cover book to draw on top of."

"But yours works so well, it's just the right size and is really flat and isn't too heavy!"

Sky just stared.

"Z… the book."

She sighed and placed her headphones back in her ears.

"Fine, it's in my room on my bed, the door should be unlocked."

As she turned to leave Sky grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him again.

"Z, I can't just go in your room, why don't you get it."

Z smiled at his face. To any other person Sky looked calm and in control. But to the well trained eye, she could see how nervous and uncomfortable he was with entering her and Syd's room alone.

"Sky, I'm already later to meet Bridge to go running, you wouldn't want me to miss valuable time training to find your book would you?"

Z knew Sky would never argue with that logic but she liked to see him squirm while weighing his options.

"It better be a good hard run."

"Yes sir!"

Z mock Saluted and ran to find Bridge, a triumphant smile on her face.

Sky felt as if he was taking the walk of death to the girl's room.

It wasn't as if he had never been in there, for there had been many times he had had private conversations with Syd in there opposed to the noisy common room, but it was something totally different for him to be in there alone with access to look at anything in there he wanted.

He could see if Z really did steal his other copy of the SPD handbook that she swears she never did. Or he could look for that really cute picture of Syd that he had taken with her face scrunched up in a pout about something. She had stolen it and said that she looked awful and would burn it immediately.

He never would of course, but it was a feeling of trust… power.

Sky also knew that he was overreacting.

It was a room, same format as his and Bridges. Two beds on either side and a connecting bathroom.

He would go in, get the handbook, and leave. Simple.

But what about Syd?

Z never mentioned her. Sky knew she had a simulator session with D Squad at this time, but this was her room too. How would she feel about him being in her room? Alone.

There was always the option of waiting till Z or Syd got back to get he book. But he had a couple of hours to kill before his shift in the command center, and he had already trained for three hours this morning, so he really wanted to just sit back and relax with his SPD handbook on the good chair in the common room.

As he stood in front of the door of the girls quarters, he thought through his options a second time and decided that he would spend approximately fifteen seconds in the room.

Go in, find the book, get out.

Nothing complicated, nothing awkward.

The door opened and his jaw dropped. He needed a new plan.

He had forgotten to calculate into his strategy the fact that Z was a slob when it came to her room.

When she said the book was on her bed, she forgot to mention that the rest of her belongings were there as well.

Honestly, how did she sleep?!

Well he was here now and had gotten this far, he might as well go the distance.

He slowly started to pick through Z's belongings, using only his thumb and index finger to pick up anything he wanted to move.

He scowled as he worked. Z must have planned this.

He continued working until he turned at the sound of a door.

"Z where's my black… shirt?"

A startled Sydney stood in the frame of the bathroom. Her hair was still wet from the shower she must have just finished.

Sky's eyes slowly went down the length of her body.

She was wearing a bra, a black lacey push-up one, with little pink roses near the top. The kind that women wear because they want to be seen in them… wait, don't think about that!

His eyes then traveled lower to her tight fitting faded jeans and finally to her pink painted toes.

After a few seconds of just starting at each other, Syd quickly snapped back to reality and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to protect a bit of her modesty.

"What are you doing here?"

At the present moment, Sky wasn't sure what to make of this question. The real question was 'what was SHE doing here?' She should have been in the simulator with D Squad cadets! Not here, taking a shower, and looking absolutely beautiful!

"Um…Z…handbook…I, well, she…"

As he continued to stutter incoherently, ringing his hands together, looking at the floor, a small smile graced the lips of Sydney Drew. It was quite a feat to make the great Sky Tate so uncomfortable.

Sky needed a way to get back in control, he was the red ranger for God's sake! He had faced threats from other galaxies single handedly and won. He helped defeat the worst criminal mastermind without thinking twice, and NOW he can't string a complete sentence together in front of a teammate?! He needed the odds back in his favor.

"…you're… uh…supposed to be training D Squad, what are _you_ doing here?"

"We started early and they completed the simulation well and in good time so I let them out early."

She was good. She said that all without even bating an eyelash, without missing a beat. Shouldn't she be more uncomfortable?

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the look she was giving him. The 'well-I'm-waiting-for-an-answer look, with the one perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised.

Once again Sky needed an escape.

He looked around the room and found nothing, then glanced back at Sydney and found it. His escape clause.

"You know that SPD regulations ban all undesignated body jewelry."

The smile dropped from Sydney's face as she looked at her stomach.

A silver jeweled flower was dangling in the form of a belly button ring.

Soft light blue crystals accented the petals while diamond raindrops hung off the flower.

"Well…I…my birthday…Z…"

A cocky smile slowly appeared on Sky's face, now she was the one babbling.

At the sight of Sky's smile Syd stopped and scowled.

"It's a stupid rule Sky, no one sees it and it doesn't effect my training."

The smile stayed. Syd didn't believe Sky was one for blackmail but she just might have extra hours on the mud course.

Syd rolled her eyes and walked towards Sky. His smile faltered when he realized she was coming closer. In a matter of moments they were merely inches apart.

Sydney stared up into Sky's ice blue eyes.

The tension was there.

Sky didn't think he had ever been this uncomfortable in his life. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. He glanced frantically around the room. He was already backed against Z's bed. If he went back any further her would be on it and he wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

Just when the tension was at its peak, Sydney bend down and grabbed a black sweater off of Z's bed.

Sky could only blink.

As she slipped the tight fitting black V-neck over her head she glanced over at Sky with her award winning smile.

"Just don't tell anyone about my piercings Sky."

He looked back at her, surprise evident on his face.

"Wait, you said 'piercings' as in plural, as in more then one. I only see one belly button ring and you don't have your ears pierced or tongue pierced or anything like that. where would these other piercings be?"

She winked at him.

"Guess you'll have to find the other one on your own then."

And with that she walked out the door.

Sky just stood there staring at the door, his jaw opening and closing unsure of anything he once knew.

As he finally got his thoughts in order he glanced at Z's bed.

Right where Syd's sweater had been was his SPD handbook.

Yup. Z tried that.

Author's Note: This is my first fanfic and I really want to know what you think. Reviews are appriciated!


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